Steve came home from work at lunchtime to drive me to the airport last Friday. It was cold!
Drinks are free on all SouthWest flights on Valentine’s Day 🙂 I enjoyed my nutritious lunch on the two hour flight south to Florida…
Cathy met me at Tampa airport. We needed the air conditioning for our drive down to Sarasota. Things were definitely looking good.
We went to my hotel and I put my bags in my room before we went out to dinner. I needed some vegetables after that not so nutritious midday meal!
Next morning I was ready bright and early for our first workshop of the weekend with the Friendship Knot Quilters Guild. We had a good crowd for Walking Foot Quilting – Beyond the Ditch. Sandy graciously allowed me to demo on her lovely BERNINA 770QE. I was busy and everyone was out of the door before I realized I had forgotten to take pictures.
Four o’clock is a bit early for dinner, even in Florida, so we headed over to one of my favorite stores, The Modern Sewist.
Did you spot my reflection in the window? !!
Still stocked with lots of bright, contemporary modern fabrics neatly arranged…
And a beautiful BERNINA Q20 in pride of place at the front of the shop.
I resisted the impulse to stay and play… it was almost closing time. I finished a bolt of suitable low volume print that was in the clearance corner. I will be able to use for backing a set of samples. Off we went, until my next visit!
I was booked for just a half day, afternoon class on Sunday so I could make a slow start to the day before our Introduction to Wool Appliqué. Once again there are no pictures 🙁
Time to go and see the sea! The bay really, but it is salt water. I took lots of pictures but I will spare you. Let’s just go with one before the sun set.
And one as it went down over the horizon…
If it’s Monday it must be Happy Scrappy Improv!
Lots of scraps, design walls up, machines out of their rolling bags… a chat and a demo, and everyone got to work…
By lunchtime there was lots to look at as we took a gallery walk.
Lunch outside in the warm was so good!
More stitching and quilts were beginning to come together by the end of the day.
Definitely happy AND scrappy 🙂
Not a whole lot of time to relax… The guild meeting was next. I had little more than an hour to return to my room, repack my bag, get changed, eat something and I was back out agin.
Cathy kept the business part of the meeting on track. That’s a hard task when the quilt show is coming up very soon.
These two had an announcement about the summer retreat! 
I suspect it will be a fun time.
Oops, my turn… take some pictures while the projector warms up?
What a good looking group!
Somewhere in that crowd were some familiar faces… ex-members of Riverwalk Quilters Guild that live in Florida now. I hope they had as much fun as I did as we took a Trip Around the World in Folk Art Stitches… there were three winners on the final question.
Show and Tell rounded out the evening.
A large prize winning Modern style quilt
A pretty little hand embroidered piece.
Three cats with sunglasses.
This pineapple quilt was going to be bed sized but sometimes enough is enough!
A bright and busy quilt, made as a quilt-along project.
A Modern piece finished with concentric circles.
The guild is holding a UFO Challenge this year. Here’s a completed piece that was started just a few years ago…
I did like this one…
This art quilt is nearly finished… just needs the facings sewn down.
And we finished with a Christmas tree skirt, made as a wedding present. What a good idea… 
Wow! lots of talent in Sarasota.
I took a picture of the guild’s raffle quilt. They are hoping to sell 10,000 tickets. 
My table of goodies for sale was considerably emptier after a quick shopping spree by the members. Time to pack up. My work was all done. Two and a half days of classes and a lecture might not sound like a lot but I was tired! (and very happy)
Cathy picked me up early on Tuesday morning to get me back to the airport for my flight home.
Over the bridges…
A super uneventful flight, fueled with lots of coffee… Steve was at Midway before my bags came through and drove me home. He went back to work.
Laundry in, bags unpacked… repack the bags, make dinner…
Six o’clock next morning we were back on the road again…
I’m in Santa Clara now at STITCHES West! Never a dull moment. I’ll let you know when I stop enjoying myself…
A busy schedule, but when you love what you are doing, it works. Stay hydrated as you keep on with your busy schedule.
Thanks for the fun “trip”. It was good to see you again.
We so much enjoyed having you in Sarasota. Fun classes and great lecture. Thanks for coming down our way!